


Kroner Nights

by Lokisgame



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post-Episode: s06e08 The Rain King, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 19:31:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokisgame/pseuds/Lokisgame
Summary: "I still can't believe Holman controlled the weather."





	Kroner Nights

Mulder opened the trunk of their rental car and sighed.  
"Umm, Scully?"  
Pulling her jacket closer around herself, she doubled back and glanced over his shoulder.  
"Oh, no."  
"The seal must've been broken and didn't stand the rain."  
"Just bring it inside," she said, resigned, and went to get the door.  
Mulder took out the soaked suitcase along with his bag, and followed her to their motel room, same one they checked out off, earlier that day.  
Light in the bathroom was on when he set her case on the chair by the table, her jacket on the bed, shoes by the door. Scully came a moment later, shower running in the background, and smiling her thanks, opened the bag, rummaging through its' contents, until he heard her groan in distaste.  
"What?"  
Black satin from last night landed on the table. "My night things are soaked."  
Next came a black bra and some other small pieces of fabric, too dangerous to think about before bedtime, considering the company. Gripping the case by the edges, she shook her head and slump off her shoulders filled in the blanks.  
"What a mess."  
Mulder looked at his own things, in his own open bag, and got up, crossing the room, lightly rubbing her back.  
"Here, take this."  
Their eyes met when she reached for the grey t-shirt and as he stepped back, she brought it to her nose, then blushed, realizing what she'd done.  
Mulder chuckled. "It's clean, don’t worry.”  
"Yes, of course, sorry."  
She dropped her gaze and hands, and smiling sheepishly, headed for the shower.  
Mulder found a white tee for himself, turned down the bed and stretched out on his side. After noisy ballroom, his mind drifted in the ringing silence.  
Not ten minutes later Scully was back, the shirt almost completely swallowing her slim figure. She left the bathroom lights on and climbed into bed, poking him lightly, smiling, when he twitched awake.  
"There's still some hot water left.”  
"I think the rest of the guests is still at the party," he said, sitting up and gathering his toiletries.  
"Then hurry up." She teased back and slipped under the covers.  
"Don't wait for me." Mulder chuckled and her soft laugh followed him into the shower.

She didn't stir when he came back, trying not to jostle her too much, climbing into bed. Pulling the sheet a little to his side, Mulder settled, and she could feel him forcing himself to be still. Not tense, just unnaturally still. It was the previous night all over again, a little awkward, a little shy, six inches of free space between his arm and her back.  
_'No-man's land,'_ Scully thought, shifting a little.  
Her toes touched his skin and she felt him move, pillow rustled, another tug at the sheet, stronger. She smiled, puled back, heard a low chuckle and Mulder rolled to his side, facing her back. They didn't touch, but she sensed him come back, just as she, let herself relax.  
"You cold?" He asked quietly, tucking the sheet between them.  
Scully shook her head, but kept her feet in place.  
"I still can't believe Holman controlled the weather," she said into the darkness.  
"He grounded our plane, you saw it happen." He mumbled, without any real fight to it.  
"A freak pressure system."  
"And the thunderstorm? Turning itself on and off?"  
"Fickle weather."  
Mulder snorted and she turned to face him.  
"Alright, there was something crazy going on here, but can you imagine the pressure?"  
"What pressure."  
"Think about it, Holman got angry, and a storm almost washed this place away. What if he and Shiela have a fight? Or worse."  
"They won't."  
"On a whim, Mulder. No one should have that much power."  
"Maybe the anomaly was cause by them both," Mulder mused, pulling the pillow closer, "and now that they are happily together, all will be right with the world."  
"You know these things don't last forever," she sighed, hugging her pillow, "at least not the happy part. Sooner or later, something always goes wrong."  
"It's not all hearts and flowers, but the sun doesn't always shine, either. Give them a chance."  
Scully huffed out a breath and turned back the way she was, a little closer this time. He could feel her body radiate warmth as she squirmed, nestling into the lumpy mattress, feet brushing against his legs, toes still cold.  
"You did great with Sheila, though," Mulder said, once she settled. "What did you tell her?"  
Silence stretched, and he almost made peace with no answer, but then she moved, scooting back, pillow, sheet, everything. All he managed to do, was lift his arm out of the way, and there she was, in his arms, back to his front, soft cotton and smooth skin against his thighs.  
"Wouldn't you want to know," she said, barely above whisper.  
Mulder was too tired to question a good thing, when it happened. Tucking the sheet around them a little and with arms around her, they both sighed, finally relaxed, as if keeping their distance was what kept them awake, all this time. He breathed his last conscious thought and Scully closed her eyes, cutting off everything, but his steady breath and bone-deep warmth.  
"Night Scully."  
"Goodnight Mulder."  
Drops of rain gently tapped on the window. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The air smelled of rain. In a run down motel in Kroner, Kansas, where cows fell from the sky, he held his best friend in his arms, wondering. Was he really happy, with the way things were? Holding her like this, could be his life, beginning and end, but what if she didn’t want that? Did she ever wonder why he wouldn’t date? He already told her, he loved her, but did she actually hear him? Whom did she see, when she looked at him from the other side of the desk, anything more than a friend and a partner? Twitch and kick, broke his train off thought.  
“You’re too warm,” she sighed, squirming in the predawn light, pushing away the sheet, but not his arms.  
He didn’t protest, didn’t pull her close, but feeling her sigh and relax deeper into his embrace, dropped a kiss on top of her head and let her breath rock him back to sleep. Life was about choices, and if nothing else, she was wearing his t-shirt, so, maybe, he still had a chance.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by gorgeous graphic by gemikanxiii on tumblr


End file.
